Machine for simultaneously printing figures and words



Feb. 10. 1925.

J. H. HORNER MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY PRINTING FIGURES AND WORDS 18, 1923 s sneetssheet 1 Filed Sept.

' baa/ 301" (fl. liar/7e)" Feb. 10. 1925.

J. H. HORNER MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY PRINTING FIGURES AND WORDS Filed Sept. 18,. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 10. 1925.

J. H. HORNER MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY PRINTING FIGURES AND worms File 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lCSLJ s asfioa e sisagewummmwmvmw mm 23456789 TTT TTTTTT Patented Feb. 10, 1925,,

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MACHINE FOE SIMULTANEOUSLY PRINTING FIGURES AND WORDS.

Application filed September 18, 1.9.23. serial No. 663 ,4230.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES HOWARD Holman, a British subject, and a resident of 10 Gastleton Road, Upper VValthamstow, in the county of Essex, England, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Simultaneously Printing Figures and Words, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to machines for simultaneously printing words and figures and while applicable for various purposes is especially designed for the printing of checks, dividend warrants and the like.

The machine is of that kind in which two rollers each comprising variably rotatable sections are mounted on parallel axes one oi? said rollers bearing the words to be printed and the other the figures, the said rollers being mounted on the machine and adjacent to a movable platen which carries the check or other paper to be printed; the said platen being movable to press the check on to the rollers when they are set with the requisite words and figures so that they will print, through the mediumot an ink band or tape the requisite amounts on the check, the type on the said" rollers being usually raised so as to procure the desired impression.

Means may be employed in my machine, in others, for holding the said printing rollers after setting so as to repeatedly print the same amounts on the check, dividend forms or other paper, it being understood that the platen is moved to and fro as by means of a side lever on the machine,

My invention differs from previous constructions chiefly in that I actuate the vari ous sections of the rollers by means of pivoted levers adapted to move over scales bearing different number values, said levers having tired to them toothed sectors which will turn the sections through suitable toothed gear; the amount of turning being appropriate to the amount the levers are moved so that, for example, it the lever is moved to the figure five on the scale, the sections will respectively turn to present the word five and the figure 5 towards the platen and into position to print that amount on the paper carried by the platen. My invention also includes other improvements all of which tend to produce a very efi'icient and reliable machine.

It will be understood that in a machine adapted to print up to thousands, a sep arate lever is used for the units, tens, hundreds and thousands, and my machine ditters from what has been previously proposed in that the lever for the hundreds can be moved from zero up to 900 and further movement will set it -for printing from 1000 to 9000 so that it is possible with the hundreds lever to print up to 9000 as well as to print the same amount by the thou sands lever. The object of this is to effect a better setting up off the word printing in particular as well as the figure printing on amounts which do not include hundreds, for example five thousand and twenty which is better printed with the hundreds lever and the tens lever than with the thousands lever and the tens lever because to use the thousands lever would leave a space for hundreds which is not required; also, when the amounts do not include tens the word and can be printed.

In a general way if the machine is required to print pounds, shillings and pence the check or other forms are advantageously ruled and printed to talte the words denoting the values in spaces allocated on the forms for the purpose.

For the printing of values in dollars it may be preferable to operate the hundreds lever and its type sections for the latter to print from one hundred to nineteen hundred and to use the thousands lever for two thousand and upwards to within the limit of the machine. and figures to denote the values may be as desired and the same forms no part of my invention.

The sections of the rollers are preferably mounted in substantially known manner on separate concentric sleeves each having its separate toothed wheel by which the sleeve and with it the section is rotated.

In operating the machine the levers are moved to positions opposite the values required and shown on scales and they may be held in these positions by any suitable fiction, spring or equivalent devices. Vhen the machine is set the amounts can be easily read by taking the scale figures opposite the levers; but tor effecting a direct visible reading duplicate scales bearing the same The actual wording number values are attached to the pivoted levers, inside and adjacent to the front of machine casing so that when the machine is set to print. a corresponding amount on these movable scales is visible through an opening in the machine casing sutiiciently wide to permit one set of figures only to be seen.

Any suitable device may be employed to return all the set levers to zero, such as a bar adapted to move over the face of the machine and push the levers back.

The rotation of the sections for setting is preferably continuous, that is to say to print one the section turns a certain distance, to print two it turns further three further still and so on to the maximum value as ditl erentiatin-gtrom machines which turn in one direction for values to a certain amount and in the opposite direction for values beyond that amount.

I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompai'iying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view of the machine and shows the same in the zero or ready for use position.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same machine vith part removed and the cover broken away. This drawing shows the type rollers in plain outline.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the case of the machine and shows the scales thereon with the levers at various positions denoting a value which is seen on the reading off scale through apertures at the ends of the slots iirwhich the levers are moved.

Fig. 4. is a sectional view of the numeral. rollers and shows how they are connected through sleeves to their respective toothed wheels and according to known practise.

In this example the machine which is adapted to print values in British sterling comprises a base 1 and cover and frame 2. The base may be on india rubber "feet but these are not shown.

The platen 3 is pivoted at 4. to a slide 5 mounted on the base and having limited movement at the slots 6. This slide is under the influence of spring 7 which cushions the action or the hand lever.

The rollers 8 and 9 carrying the word and figure type respectively, are mounted with their sleeves on spindles 10 and 11. This construction with relation to rollers 9 is clearly seen in Fig. 4; in which there are six such rollers each with a sleeve and its actuating toothed wheel.

The machine shown is adapted to print amounts up to 999919-l1 and is fitted witl'r six levers, four for the pounds and onejeach for the shillings and pence. One of these levers 12 is seen in Fig. 1 and is pivoted at 13 to the frame of the machine. Rigid with the lever 12 is a toothed segment 14 in constant mesh with pinion 15 which eases? is mounted on the same sleeve as the toothed wheel 16. This wheel is in mesh with a toothed wheel n each of the spindles l0 and 11 so that when the lever is m ved along its slot in the front of the machine the segn'ient rotates the toothed wheel l6 and causes it to simultaneously turn both the toothed wheels on spindles 10 and ll. and in so doing to also turn the corresponding type rollers the requisite :unount to bring both the word roller and the figure roller into correct printing position. Then the lever is pulled to the requisite figure of the scale l? on the front or the machine it is there held by spring plunger 18 engaging a rack 19.

Inside the cover and attached to each lever is a curved bar 20 hearing a scale on one side. This bar moves with the lever and exposes the figures of its scale at an enlargement 21 made at the end oi the lever slot. The figures on the outside and the inside scales correspond but are oppositely set. with the result that when the lover is moved to a certain figure on the outsidc scale that figure is shown throngl'l'i the opening 27.. ll will be seen in Fig. 3 that the levers are set. to 532152-49-43 and that the same value is presented at the openings 21 where the amounts can be more easily read than they would be at the dillerent lever positions.

The platen 3 is connected by alink 22 to a pivoted side handle n3 by which the platen can be pulled to and pushed "ti-om the type rollers but the latter movement is preferably efi ected by a coil spring not shown. on the spindle 24.

The ribbon 25 is mounted on roller 2 3 and sleeve 37 and passes behind a plate 28 having apertures 29. 2.) opposite the type on the rollers. This plate is mounted on brackets 30 which have slight sliding movc ment in slots 31. Light leaf springs 32 are placed between the plate and the frame of the machine.

A pivoted arm 33 is mounted at 34- on the side of the platen and is provided with pin 35 adapted to engage a notched wheel 36 on the spindle 27 so as to impart a small turning movement to the wheel and spindle each time the platen is brought to the printing position. The said spindle 27 carries a tree but close fitting sleeve 37 on which the ribbon is wound. the construction being such that it the ribbon is free to be wound on the sleeve the latter will be turned when the notched wheel turns but if the ribbon is not tree for turthcr winding. the wheel and its spindle will turn but the sleeve held by the ribbon will remain stationary.

hluch the same construction applies at the roller 26 on which the ribbon is wound and unwound. This roller is rigid on spindle 39 and with ratchet wheel 40. A bell crank lever 41 is pivoted on spindle 39 and carries a spring 42 pressing against a pawl 43 which engages the ratchet wheel 40. A. slide bar 44 is pivoted to the lower end of the platen and moves in guides 45 .on the frame 2. This slide bar has a stop 46 adapted to engage the nose 4'? of a pivoted disc 48 and to turn the same when the platen is pulled to the printing position.

Rigid with the'disc 48 is an arm 49 to which is connected a link 50 attached to a pivoted lever 51. said lever being in turn connected by another link to a like lever 53. The lever 53 has a side arm 54 connected by a link 55 to the bell crank lever 40.

ll hcn the slide bar is thrust in. it turns the disc 48 and effects a pull on the said links and consequent rocking of the levers 51, 53 and 41.

The levers 51 and 53 are in pairs each pair carries an aligning bar 56 and 57 respectively. These bars are adapted to pass into spaces between the type on the rollers 8 and 9 and to thereby lock the rollers in correct alignment while the platen is pressing against the type on them.

In practice the check or other paper to be printed is placed on the platen in usual manner. the levers are turned to the required positions and in turning they cause their respective segments to rotate the toothed wheels and type rollers so that the type on them which corresponds with the setting of the levers is presented opposite the openings 29 in plate 28.

The platen is then pulled up to the type by means of handle 23 and the printing is effected.

Upon this movement of the platen the slide bar 44 strikes disc 48 and depresses lever 49 thus drawing down the links 50, 52 and 55. Links 50 and 52 turn the levers 56 and 57 respectively and cause the bars thereon to lock the type rollers.

The link 05 inclines the lever 41 to the right hand side and causes the pawl. on it to impart a partial turn to the ratchet wheel 40 thus winding the ribbon on roller 26. When the ribbon is fully wound on this sleeve and the lever 41 is inclined to one side the pawl is unable to further turn the ratchet wheel and rises up against the spring 42 and assumes a reversed position in relation to the ratchet wheel thereby permitting the ribbon to be drawn off the sleeve 38 by the winding action at sleeve 37, the said sleeve 38 being turned in unwinding direction by the pawl 43.

For the purpose of returning the levers to zero I provide a Ll-shaped bar 58 pivoted at 13 and adapted to simultaneously press back the levers to Zero.

For repeatedly printing the same amounts the levers are left at the said amount and the platen may be moved to and fro as often as is desired. Any looking or holding means may be employed with the lovers but in a general way the spring device 18 or its substitute is sutlicient.

l i hat I claim is:

1. A machine for simultamously printing words and figures, including rotatable rollers divided into sections carrying the words and figiu'es in type, toothed gears for operating the rollers, and pivoted levers having relatively rigid toothed segments for operating; said toothed gears, the swinging of any one lever about its pivot simultaneously operating a word carrying and figure carrying section of the rollers, figure scales fixed to the machine frame adjacent each of the levers, and a like scale fixed to and movable with each lever, said latter scales having their figure marks arranged reversely from that of the first mentioned scales.

2. A machine for simultaneously printing words and figures comprising a frame, a platen pivotally mounted in relation to the frame, two sets of type-bearing rollers on parallel axes, toothed gear for simultaneously rotating the said rollers in pairs one on each axis, pivoted levers for selectively rotating the toothed gear through the medium of toothed segments rigid with the levers, an inked ribbon between the platen and the rollers with means for bringing the platen against the inked ribbon and pressing it upon type on the rollers and means actuated by the movements of the platen to lock the type-bearing rollers with the type in alignment previous to and while the printing is being effected.

3. A machine for simultaneously printing values in words and in figures comprising a frame, two rollers each comprising separately rotatable type-bearing sections mounted on parallel axes on the frame, a sleeve fixed to each section, toothed wheel fixed to each sleeve, a separate toothed segment engaging each toothed wheel each such segment be ing rigid with a pivoted lover, a pivoted platen mounted on the frame and adjacent the type-bearing sections, an inked ribbon between the platen and the sections, means for bringing the platen against the type with the ribbon intervening and a movable guard between the ribbon and the platen with automatic means for progressively shifting the. inking ribbon to cause it to travel from an unwinding sleeve to a winding sleeve.

4. A machine for simultaneously printing values in words and in figures, comprising a frame, two rollers, each comprising separately rotatable type-bearing sections mounted on parallel axes on the frame, a sleeve fixed to each section, a toothed pinion fixed to each sleeve, a toothed wheel fixed to each sleeve to engage and operate the type-bearing sections, a pivoted operating lever, and a toothed segment rigid with such ribbon and the platen with automatic meam for Shlfilllflj; the lnklng rlbbon.

In wltness whereof I have hereunto set: 10

lever to engage and opermbe said toothed pinion, :1 pivoted platen mounted on the frame and adjacent the typehemfing sections, an ink d ribbon between the platen my hand in presence of a Witness.

and the seetione means for bringing the JAMES HOEVARD HORNER. platen against. the type with the ribbon in- Witness:

tervening, and a movable guard between the HENRY FAIRBROTI-IER. 

